Compass-guided Living

Why should a Christian live as a "Carbon-copy of Christ" instead of the culture in which he lives? This text of Scripture provides us with the reasons for/the motivations for obeying the commands in 3:17 and avoiding the lifestyle depicted in 3:19. Because our minds can deceive us (Jeremiah 17:9) into thinking a particular direction in life is the right one for us to pursue (Proverbs 16:25; Judges 17:6), we need an unfailing guide. God's word's is the only right compass for us that unfailingly guides us even when we feel strongly that our way is right and good for us to follow.

In today's text, Paul closes his treatment of the third imminent threat the Philipppian church faced--the danger of worldly living. His admonition to them is the same we need today: we must train our minds to fix its mental sights on the compass God provides. Only by following this divine compass would the Philippians, and likewise we, avoid the real danger that threatened not only to undermine their testimony for Christ but their effectiveness as a church to carry on the work of God. In short, they needed and we need Compass-guided Living.